Jews in Cambodia

When the Khmer Rouge came to power, Jews made up a miniscule 0.1% of the population in Cambodia. Jews and other religious minorities, including Christians, Muslims, and Hindus were sought out and killed by Pol Pot's forces due to their minority status.

Very few Jews reside in Cambodia currently, and the small Jewish community there consists of ex-patriots, NGO workers, travelers, hikers, and adventurers. Approximately 200 Jewish individuals reside in Cambodia year-round, with most of them living in the capital city of Phnom Penh. The Phnom Penh Chabad welcomes these Jews with open doors, with a sign out front reading “No Jew will be left behind.” Dror Marcus, an Israeli ex-patriot who once attempted to open Cambodia's first Israeli restaurant, opened the Chabad house in 2008 after living in the country for over 20 years. The Chabad house serves on average 25 meals every Friday night, and includes a small Kosher grocery store.

An estimated 60-70 Jews live in 20 towns throughout the Cambodian countryside. Siem Reap, a popular tourist destination about 200 miles outside of Phnom Penh, is home to 20 Jews, most of whom work at the local hospital.

A new Cambodian Jewish Community Center is currently under construction.

Relations With Israel

Since restoring diplomatic relations in 1993, more than 2,100 Cambodian students have studied agriculture in Israel, and both governments expressed interest in further widening this cooperation, as of November 2025.

Cambodia and Israel have moved to deepen bilateral cooperation across agriculture, education, tourism, innovation, and related fields following the visit of newly appointed Israeli Ambassador Alona Fisher-Kamm, who presented her credentials to King Norodom Sihamoni on the same month. During meetings with senior Cambodian officials, including the agriculture minister, foreign ministry leadership, and the vice president of the National Assembly, the sides discussed expanding agricultural internships and scholarships for Cambodian students in Israel, strengthening research collaboration on agricultural technology, and enhancing broader people-to-people and institutional ties. Cambodia emphasized student safety following the 2023 killing of a Cambodian intern during a Hamas attacks.

Sources: Frank, Ben. “Angkor Wat: The Heart and Soul of Cambodia,” Jerusalem Post, (November 20, 2012);
Chabad Cambodia;
Rin Ousa, “Cambodia and Israel to Boost Agriculture and Education Cooperation,” CamNess, (November 26, 2025).
Wikimedia Commons. By Milei.vencel, Hungary (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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